Coastal class Olympic wraps

[Scott]

www.bcferries.com/about/newbuild/Supercolympics.html

Sounds like BC Ferries has come up with a creative way to use our new ferries as floating billboards for the 2010 Olympics. When I heard about it on the radio, I was really worried that they'd be an eyesore, but the design on BC Ferries website actually looks OK.

They're going to have promotional stops in London, LA, San Fran, and Seattle. On the radio they also mentioned the Bahamas, Canary Islands, and the Panama Canal.. which seemed strange to me since they don't even know what winter is there:)

It's an interesting experiment, although I'd much prefer to not have a billboard sailing into Victoria Harbour or under the Lions Gate Bridge when they arrive in BC.

How much is this costing BC Ferries? Is the next fare increase going to pay for it?

If this is costing BC Ferries millions of dollars, I think ferry users should be upset. What's the point in spending millions on advertising when they're not prepared to increase the capacity of their major routes? They might as well say "Come to British Columbia and sit in a lineup for an overcrowded ferry." Or "Come take a ferry, just make sure you sail on the 6AM or 9PM sailings because there's no room for you any other time."

[Political Incorrectness]

*barf* I think our ferries have officially been coporatised. What ever happend to the beauty of the dogwood? Now tarnished by ads :S

[Curtis]

You beat me to it John. I was just about to make the exact same thread and call it something along the lines of...
"Giant Double Ended Olympic Promotion"
I can't believe the CLR is gonna be Sailing into Victoria/Vancouver looking like this.


Could've been worse though. Reminds me of the Expo 86 Stacks scattered around the fleet.
I wonder if the rest of the fleet will be displaying the Olympic Rings or the Vancouver 2010 Olympic/Paralympic Logos like in this picture of the NorEx

[Curtis]

Tape the News they're gonna have something about this,
If anyone is online that can do what I'm suggesting, please do it.

[WettCoast]

Why stop there...

After they enter service why not emblazon the ships' exteriors with I'm lovin it ads. Surely this would help David Haun to make ends meet.

I can see a future photo opportunity as some ferry nerd photographer is camped out on the beach in Active Pass waiting for coastal billboards to pass one another, one selling the virtues of Huggies, while the other invites us to patronize Future Shop.

[Retrovision]

According to CTV, these will be the largest marine wraps in the world and are a product of our Olympics' newest sponsor, 3M.

[Political Incorrectness]

CBC's Gloria Macarenco (sp?) made a comment on "how many people are there in the ocean that are going to see that?"

[Dane]

Wait, I feel like BC Ferries has done this before... oh wait, they did ;D

I don't understand at all people that think this is corporatization. I hate to break it to you but BC Ferries have often worn decorum for special events and activities.

Frankly, the wraps to me look modern and will reflect well to tourists that BC will be hosting the 2010 games. While we can argue on whether people support the games or not, that would be out of place in this thread; I direct your attention to:

- any BC Ferry in 1985 or 1986.
- The Tsawwassen/Sidney in 1967
- The Spirits during BC Ferries' anniversary (30th?)
- The Commonwealth Games on several vessels

Despite the aggressive protection of the Olympic logos, they are in fact "public."

[Dane]

tsawwassenterminal said:

According to CTV, these will be the largest marine wraps in the world and are a product of our Olympics' newest sponsor, 3M.

With the second largest sitting on the waterfront of North Vancouver, languishing away.

[Northern Exploration]

Before we all jump to conclusions maybe we should find out some information.

1. Is BC Ferries paying for the wrap, the Olympic Committee or Tourism BC? Or a mixture of all three?

2. Is BC Ferries a sponsor of the Olympics? If so then they are doing their part for the Olympics. The Olympics are coming no matter what your opinion is of them. We might as well be assured that as many people visit and the games are as successful as Calgary and not like Montreal.

3. Wraps are not in the millions for costs. They are essentially a temporary covering. You can wrap a car, bus, billboard, buildings etc. for all sorts of temporary or even semi-permanent messages. A similar product is what Air Canada has been using on the tails of planes that aren't ready for painting in the new ice blue or sky blue colour scheme. Essentially a giant decal is applied to the tail and you have the old body colour (white) with the new tail design. A cost saving measure while keeping a consistent brand.

4. The ferry would not make the pages of any newspaper or TV program in those cities that they mentioned if it visited without the wraps. I would imagine the Olympics tie will result in many more media mentions than would otherwise happen.

5. I am not going to comment on whether I like the design or not but I think it is a pretty smart way of pumping tourism, marketing BC and getting some early buzz on the Olympics. Today there were articles in the newspapers about China getting people to line up for stuff instead of pushing (buses), stopping spitting so much on the street, and even getting cab drivers to actually wash occasionally in the lead up to the summer games. I would much rather get some positive stuff on the air and in the print than the usual behind schedule - will they be done in time etc. that the media loves to air.

6. Herr Brinkmann would have to comment or find out but the wraps may actually ensure that the ferries arrive in BC with less surface rust/damage from the crossing.

Anyways my two bits worth coming from the marketing/advertising perspective.

[Balfour]

Personally I think they look cool. It looks way better than a change of the stack.

[kylefossett]

why not take advantage of these vessels coming over from europe and having to stop in locations like LA, Bahamas, London. the locals see this vessel they may decide hey lets go to vancouver, maybe not for the olympics but at another time and check out the place

[WettCoast]

dane said:

I direct your attention to:

- any BC Ferry in 1985 or 1986.
- The Tsawwassen/Sidney in 1967
- The Spirits during BC Ferries' anniversary (30th?) 40th - year 2000
- The Commonwealth Games on several vessels

In the past relatively small logos were placed on the ferries, either on the sides, or on the funnels. On this occasion they are essentially turning the whole vessel into a floating billboard. This is NOT the same as was done in the past. If they can do it to promote the Olympics who knows what might be next.

By contrast study the artist's rendering of what Olympic logos on the NorEx might look like. To me, that is the right way to promote the up coming winter games.

[Neil]

I'm concerned that they're softening us up for the introduction of permanent advertising on the sides of ferries. Look at how many of our buses are moving billboards. Surely some advertising gurus must be attracted to the notion of huge ads plastered on the port side of ferries going through Active Pass, with several hundred spectators on the boat opposite.

[Retrovision]

dane said:

tsawwassenterminal said:

According to CTV, these will be the largest marine wraps in the world and are a product of our Olympics' newest sponsor, 3M.

With the second largest sitting on the waterfront of North Vancouver, languishing away.

I see your point, but of course those are painted designs and these will be wraps and presumably much easier to discard after the games.

hornbyguy said:

I'm concerned that they're softening us up for the introduction of permanent advertising on the sides of ferries. Look at how many of our buses are moving billboards. Surely some advertising gurus must be attracted to the notion of huge ads plastered on the port side of ferries going through Active Pass, with several hundred spectators on the boat opposite.

I'm glad that someone said it. Like Governors General, I get the feeling that some, or one atleast, don't want ferry gods to make such potentially contentious opinions known (or redundancies pointed out, for that matter).

[Scott]

Won't it be a lovely day when we're competing with each other for getting photos of the Coastal Inspiration in Coca Cola colors and the Skeena Queen painted like a Bread Garden tuna & red pepper sub on a organic garlic 100% whole wheat bun. We'll have to go up and down the coast every year to get photos of ferries in their annual outfits! \

Just imagine a beautiful June evening, the sun setting - shining on the coastal mountains with the remnants of winter snow on their peaks. Then around the point, just catching the final rays of sunshine of the day, comes a bright orange boat with a picture of a lawnmower, table saw, and garden hose... the slogan across the side screaming "Come Join Us for our Summer Sail"... the words "Home Depot" decorating the funnel. Our new "Orange Ships, Blue Seas" advertisments in all the Travel Brochures will surely attract many new tourists from Orange County.

And maybe in a couple years when the next provincial elections roll along, there will be a competition between parties for ferries. The NDP will probably only be able to afford the little ships .. David Hahn would probably gift the Coastal Celebration to the Liberal Party... with Gordon Campbell's face on the bow of the ship greeting each passing ferry going through Active Pass!

No doubt the government would love to get back into the ferry business. It wouldn't take much to replace the Olympics logos with some scenes from BC and the words "British Columbia - the Most Beautiful Place on Earth!" Of course, the ferry would go by during the most scenic viewpoint and ruin everyone's photos. Fuji Film might have a problem with that.
... on the other side of the ferry it would read

"This is YOUR province"

- this USED to be YOUR ferry

[Dane]

wetcoastkidjst said:

dane said:

I direct your attention to:

- any BC Ferry in 1985 or 1986.
- The Tsawwassen/Sidney in 1967
- The Spirits during BC Ferries' anniversary (30th?) 40th - year 2000
- The Commonwealth Games on several vessels

In the past relatively small logos were placed on the ferries, either on the sides, or on the funnels. On this occasion they are essentially turning the whole vessel into a floating billboard. This is NOT the same as was done in the past. If they can do it to promote the Olympics who knows what might be next.

By contrast study the artist's rendering of what Olympic logos on the NorEx might look like. To me, that is the right way to promote the up coming winter games.

The logo is about as encompassing in nature as the 1967 100 years thing... and frankly this one is much more attractive. While I hope they're not easing us into advertising, I am also fairly confident they are NOT, because as many including myself have said this isn't new (hold the application method)

I have Olympic license plates too, but I don't expect them to say "Coca Cola" in 2011.

[WettCoast]

Yes, the floating billboard is not a new concept.


Brunel's magnificent 'Colossus' ended her days as a floating advertisment board.

More to read at www.greatoceanliners.net/greateastern.html

[Koastal Karl]

I think they look kinda cool too in a way.

[Low Light Mike]

karl said:

I think they look kinda cool too in a way.

Do airlines jets do something similar ? Or am I thinking of oversized wrap-around airline logos?

[Mirrlees]

I wonder what picture of Campbell they will use on the bow?

[Mirrlees]

flugelhorn said:

karl said:

I think they look kinda cool too in a way.

Do airlines jets do something similar ? Or am I thinking of oversized wrap-around airline logos?

I know tha Alaska Airlines has one of their 737's decked out with Disneyland motif.

[Low Light Mike]

mirrlees60 said:

I wonder what picture of Campbell they will use on the bow?

likely not a Maui vacation picture....

[Political Incorrectness]

LOL off topic but that is some great satire. All hail! King of Sarcasm!

[EGfleet]

WSF has gone "billboard" once that I am aware of--for the 1962 World's Fair when they all had the "Century 21" logo on the side.



A few years back WSF went on record stating they would not ever become corporate billboards or give over naming rights to a corporation. They did say they would put advertising on the ferries, which they've done. Frankly I wish they'd change them more often as I'm getting bored of the adverts for Bank of America on the Chelan.